Once you decide to move, choosing the right one among all the long distance moving companies will be the first challenge you have to face. Firstly, you’ll have to make quite a few calls and compare prices. Also, you will have to read through a lot of reviews on long distance moving companies (long distance moving companies reviews will tell you more about the movers than they themselves ever could), and more. But once you find the answer to the question “What are the best long distance moving companies” and hire the right team, all this effort will be worth it.
Which Criteria to Take Into Consideration When Browsing Long Distance Moving Companies
Picking the right mover for the job entails more than hiring the first company you come across. In fact, there are some very clear criteria you should take into consideration. So before you sign any contracts, ask yourself:
- Which services do I need for my cross-country move?
- What is the price the company is asking for these services?
- Is the company fully licensed, registered, and insured?
- Are the long distance moving companies reviews mainly positive or negative?
- And lastly, is this a legitimate mover or a scammer?
We’re sure you agree that these are all crucial questions – but how do you answer them? Let’s take a look.
Services Provided by Long Distance Moving Companies
Moving companies offer an array of different services designed to cover different parts of the relocation. However, some companies go beyond the threshold and offer more than others. In general, you should be able to pick among the following:
- Long distance moving service – for starters, this is the basic service that covers the transportation of your household belongings from the old to the new home. Also, depending on the company you choose, some basic packing may be included.
- Packing service – secondly, different objects require different packing methods, and professional packers know them better than anybody else. In general, you can choose to have some or all of your belongings packed by them depending on the company you hire.
- Storage services – as you know, companies with a good reputation always try to go a step further than anybody else. For that reason, as well as to make their customers’ lives easier, some of them offer this service. In other words, you can rent a storage unit through your mover. That way, not only will you have to only deal with one company instead of two, but you also won’t have to worry about the transportation of your belongings to and from the unit.
- Car shipping – lastly, moving cross-country usually means having to drive long distances and waste a few days to get to your new home. Or you can pick a mover that offers auto transport services and get a plane ticket instead.
The Importance of Free Quotes
Paying for a cross-country moving company is a huge investment. For that reason, you should never do it without knowing well in advance how much it is going to cost. On the other hand, no reliable moving company can offer a list of fixed prices. This is because the final amount depends heavily on your specific situation.
In order to give you a moving quote, company representatives need to know the following:
- The distance of your move
- Your preferred moving dates
- The services you want to book
- Exactly how much stuff you’re planning on transporting
- Any special circumstances (living on a high floor, narrow streets, any required parking permits for the truck, etc.)
On the other hand, if a company doesn’t ask for these details, that means that they won’t be able to provide you with a precise quote, which should be a red flag.
And lastly, one more tip: don’t settle for the first quote you receive. On the contrary, you should ask at least three companies for estimates before making the decision. Any estimate that is too low should be a red flag, too – this is a classic move scammers pull to lure people in.
Licensing and Registration – What Is the USDOT Number?
Checking whether a company is fully licensed is way easier than it sounds. In fact, all you have to do is check whether they have a US DOT number listed on the website. This is a unique sequence of digits provided by the US Department of Transportation that is mandatory for all long distance moving companies. In addition, you can run this number through the FMCSA database and access reviews on long distance moving companies. And speaking of reviews…
Long Distance Moving Companies Reviews
Reading the reviews of a company is the best way to determine whether they are professional and reliable enough to handle your move. Assuming, of course, that you know how to spot fake reviews. In general, try to focus on 3- and 4-star reviews, because they tend to be the most realistic ones, without too much glorification or unnecessary slander.
What Are the Best Long Distance Moving Companies
Once you have all the info you need, put it all down on paper. After that, you should have something like this written down:
| Braveheart Movers | Auburn Moving | Lake Union Movers | Cheap Seattle Movers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Distance Moving Services | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Packing Services | YES | YES | N/A | YES |
| Car Shipping | YES | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Storage Services | YES | YES | N/A | YES |
| USDOT Number | YES | N/A | YES | N/A |
| FMCSA Complaints | No complaints | – | No complaints | – |
| Free Quote | YES | YES | YES | YES |
With a clear overview of everything that you need to know before answering the question: What are the best long distance moving companies, you should be able to pick the right team for yourself in no time.
Braveheart Movers Are at Your Service
Here at Braveheart Movers, we make it our priority to stay on top of the list of the best long distance moving companies. We do this by providing a wide array of high-quality services at affordable prices. Don’t believe us? If so, just check out our long distance moving companies reviews, and you’ll see for yourself! Give us a call today to receive your free quote!
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